Christmas 2008 - Newsletter from Margot James

Christmas newsletter
Keeping you up to date with my latest activities in Stourbridge. The latest campaigns, letters to the press and events in and around Stourbridge


December 23rd  2008

Dear Supporter,

We are just two days away from Christmas so I am sending out my monthly e wire early and I’d like to start by thanking everyone who has helped promote the Conservative cause in Stourbridge this year. All of our campaigning and press activity has been a team effort so thank you to all of you who have taken part. 

I am pleased to have been inspired by Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury. Dr Williams denounced the governments “solution” to the downturn that their policies have made so much worse. Dr Williams stated that Labour’s high spending, high borrowing policies in the face of the recession was “like an addict returning to the drug”. He then encouraged people to ignore the Government’s mission to have us all go shopping to save the economy. No one could have put it better.

The human cost of the excessive personal and government debt that has been allowed to run unchecked for far too long is now being felt. It is a terrible time of year to be made redundant and I sympathise with everyone in this position – particularly those I know personally who are affected at Woolworths, the Conservative Party and Newsquest, owners of our local newspaper the Stourbridge News.

Really talented people are finding that their job is redundant. At times like this people so affected should remember, it is their job that is redundant not they themselves. I wish everyone in this position every possible success in finding new employment. 
 

Campaigning

• We have produced survey forms for 10,000 homes in the constituency. These have been hand delivered in Lye & Wollescote and will continue in to the new year in other parts of the constituency.
  
• We canvassed homes in Pedmore and Wollescote. Apart from worries about the economic situation we found high levels of concern and frustration about anti-social behaviour and the intimidating attitude of youths around the Queensway Shops.

Out and About

• The Age Concern Art Class again held a competition for the best painting of ‘Christmas in Stourbridge.’ Barbara Driver does the most wonderful job of inspiring clients of Age Concern to have a go at drawing and painting and with some magnificent results. For the second year running the prize was won by Valerie Lampard who only took up painting on her retirement. I presented prizes with Ron Dalton, Chairman and Derek Elton, President and have since had numerous compliments on my Christmas card. Read more
• I have been appointed a trustee of the 2020 Public Services Trust www.2020publicservicestrust.org. This is a cross party think tank focussed on the future of public services. 
• Cllrs Ian Kettle and Colin Wilson and the chairman of our Conservative Association, Ted Baker and their respective wives Joan, Helen and Jo accompanied me to a delightful fundraising dinner in support of the Bewal International Hospital Appeal.  The appeal was set up by Mr Mr Atiq-ur-Rehman, resident of Lye and consultant at Russells Hall Hospital. I was delighted to be able to speak in support of this excellent cause which brings together the people of Pakistan and Britain in a bid to extend decent healthcare to the poorer people of rural Pakistan. Read more
• I attended various Christmas events around the constituency:
  - The Lye Church Christmas Fair – this was a lovely event in Lye Church, music, dancing and stalls filled the Church.  I took Lotus and was impressed by a small boy who came up with lovely little dog stockings to sell, would I like to buy some treats for my dog? Well I couldn’t refuse of course and I was most impressed with his salesmanship and entrepreneurialism.
  
  - St Mary’s Church Christmas Fair, St Mary’s in Oldswinford is my local Church, indeed I can see the Church from my house which makes it all the more special. I was delighted to hear that they made well over £2000 despite the absence of one of the most popular stalls.
  
  - The turning on of the lights on Stourbridge High Street (which coincided with a fabulous street market.....) We had very effective lookalikes of Harry Potter and Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, who lit the few lights that hadn’t already been lit.
  
  - We hosted a Christmas Party at the Bonded Warehouse and raised approximately £500.00 for the Mary Stevens Hospice. We were very lucky to get Tony Billingham and his Jazz trio along for the evening, they were really faboulous.
  
  - Finally I took my Young Enterprise students from Stourbridge College out for lunch on their last day of term. What good company they were, great boys, with excellent manners and we all had a great time.

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